IAOTL Rising

Arrive at Cancún International Airport, where you will be greeted and transferred to our luxury beachfront resort on the Riviera Maya.

Settle into your accommodations with private beach access on the turquoise Caribbean Sea — your home base for the first leg of our journey through the Yucatán Peninsula.

This evening, join your fellow travelers and guides Timothy Hogan and Billy Carson for a Welcome Dinner and Opening Circle — an opportunity to connect with kindred seekers before we begin our exploration of ancient Mexico.

Our journey begins at Tulum — the only major Mayan city built on the coast, perched dramatically on cliffs above the Caribbean Sea.

While most visitors see Tulum as a beautiful ruin, Tim and Billy will reveal its deeper significance:

• El Castillo (The Lighthouse) — How this structure functioned as an ancient navigational beacon and astronomical marker • Temple of the Frescoes — The astronomical and cosmological symbolism encoded in its murals • Recent Discoveries — New findings that are reshaping our understanding of Tulum's purpose and age

The Maya chose this location with intention. Standing where the jungle meets the sea, where the land ends and the infinite begins, Tulum embodies the threshold between worlds — a fitting opening to our pilgrimage.

Afternoon free to enjoy the resort's beach and amenities.

Today we journey inland to Coba — once one of the largest and most powerful Mayan cities, now reclaimed by the jungle.

Unlike other sites, Coba allows you to experience the ancient sacbeob (white roads) that once connected Mayan cities across the peninsula. We'll travel these sacred paths by bicycle through the jungle to reach Nohoch Mul — at 138 feet, the second-tallest pyramid in the Mayan world.

Those who wish may climb to the summit for breathtaking views across the jungle canopy. Tim and Billy will discuss:

• The evidence of Atlantean influence in Coba's construction • The sophisticated road system that connected the Mayan empire • The astronomical alignments encoded in Nohoch Mul

Mayan Stingless Bee Experience

We'll visit a traditional Mayan apiary to learn about Xunan Ka'ab — the "Royal Lady Bee" — the sacred stingless Melipona bee revered by the Maya for millennia. Learn about:

• The spiritual significance of the bee in Mayan cosmology • Traditional medicinal uses of Melipona honey • Why this ancient practice is being preserved today

Traditional Mayan Village Lunch

A garden-fresh meal prepared by a local Mayan community, where you'll experience Mayan hospitality and wisdom firsthand.

Today is dedicated to Ek Balam — the "Black Jaguar" — one of the most spectacular and least-visited major Mayan sites.

Only recently excavated, Ek Balam reveals extraordinary stucco sculptures and carvings that were buried and preserved for over a thousand years. The Acropolis is one of the largest structures in the Mayan world, and visitors can still climb to its summit.

We will spend the full day here, including:

• The Tomb of Ukit Kan Le'k Tok' — The remarkably preserved burial chamber of Ek Balam's greatest ruler • The Mouth of the Jaguar — A massive sculptured doorway representing the entrance to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld • Sacred Cenote Visit — Descend into the underground waters where the Maya performed sacred rituals

Mayan Ceremonies

Participate in traditional Mayan ceremonies led by local wisdom keepers — a living connection to practices that have continued unbroken for millennia.

Tim and Billy will provide extensive commentary on the site's symbolism, its connections to other ancient traditions, and what the recently uncovered artwork reveals about Mayan spirituality.

Today we visit the crown jewel of Mayan civilization: Chichen Itza — one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The great pyramid of El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan) is perhaps the most sophisticated astronomical calendar ever built in stone. Its 365 steps, 52 panels, and the famous serpent shadow that descends during the equinoxes demonstrate that its builders possessed knowledge we are only beginning to understand.

Tim and Billy will provide multiple lectures among the megalithic structures, illuminating:

• The astronomical precision encoded in El Castillo • The Great Ball Court and its acoustic mysteries • The Temple of the Warriors and its Atlantean columns • The Sacred Cenote and its role in Mayan cosmology • Connections between Chichen Itza and sites in Egypt, Angkor Wat, and beyond

Valladolid — Colonial Charm

After our morning at Chichen Itza, we travel to the colonial town of Valladolid for:

• An authentically delicious lunch at a local restaurant • Time to stroll through artisan shops • Tequila tasting and homemade ice cream sampling

This evening we continue to Mérida — the cultural capital of the Yucatán.

We journey south into the Puuc Hills to visit Uxmal — considered by many archaeologists to be the most beautiful of all Mayan sites.

Less visited than Chichen Itza, Uxmal offers a more contemplative experience. The Pyramid of the Magician rises dramatically with its unique rounded edges — according to legend, built in a single night by a dwarf magician hatched from an egg.

Beyond the legend, Uxmal demonstrates extraordinary architectural sophistication:

• The Governor's Palace — Called by some "the most magnificent building ever erected in the Americas" • The Nunnery Quadrangle — Elaborate stone mosaics encoding astronomical and cosmological information • The Ball Court — Where the sacred game connected the human and divine realms

Tim and Billy will explore the astronomical alignments, the encoded mathematics, and the connections between Uxmal and other ancient sites worldwide.

Choco-Story Museum

Across from Uxmal, we'll visit the Choco-Story Museum dedicated to the history of chocolate — the "food of the gods" that played a central role in Mesoamerican ceremony and economy.

Return to Mérida for an evening at leisure. Explore the galleries, restaurants, and vibrant plazas of this artistic colonial city.

A day to experience Mérida — the "White City" — cultural capital of the Yucatán and one of Mexico's most beautiful colonial cities.

Founded in 1542 on the site of the ancient Mayan city of T'ho, Mérida blends indigenous heritage with Spanish colonial architecture. Today is yours to explore:

Optional Activities:

• Gran Museo del Mundo Maya — One of Mexico's finest museums, exploring 5,000 years of Mayan civilization • Paseo de Montejo — The grand boulevard lined with French-style mansions • Mérida Cathedral — The oldest cathedral on the American mainland, built with stones from Mayan temples • Central Plaza & Zócalo — The heart of the city, perfect for people-watching and café culture • Artisan Markets — Traditional hammocks, Panama hats (actually from Mexico!), and Mayan crafts

Lecture Session with Tim & Billy

In the afternoon, join Tim and Billy for a lecture synthesizing what we've experienced so far — connecting the dots between Tulum, Coba, Ek Balam, Chichen Itza, and Uxmal. What emerges when we see these sites as one interconnected system?

This evening, the city begins preparing for Halloween — and so should you. Tomorrow night, we celebrate!

Happy Halloween!

Today is a day of celebration as Mérida comes alive with festivities blending Mexican and international Halloween traditions.

The morning is free to continue exploring the city, visit any sites you may have missed, or simply relax and prepare for tonight's festivities.

Evening Halloween Celebration

Join your fellow pilgrims for a Halloween celebration in one of Mexico's most artistic and vibrant cities. Whether you've brought a costume or found something locally, tonight we celebrate the thinning of the veil between worlds — a fitting prelude to Día de los Muertos.

Mérida's plazas, rooftops, and restaurants will be alive with music, art, and celebration. Our group dinner tonight will be a memorable gathering before we transition to the next phase of our journey.

Packing Note: Don't forget your Halloween costume or Day of the Dead attire!

Today we fly from Mérida to Mexico City — arriving as Día de los Muertos begins in earnest.

Día de los Muertos is not a Mexican Halloween — it is something far older and more profound. Rooted in indigenous Aztec traditions honoring Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the Dead), blended with Catholic All Saints' and All Souls' Days, this is when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, and families welcome their departed loved ones back to the world of the living.

The streets of Mexico City will be transformed with elaborate ofrendas (altars), cascades of cempasúchil (marigolds), painted calaveras (skulls), and celebrations that honor death as part of life's sacred cycle.

After checking into our centrally located luxury hotel, the afternoon and evening are yours to experience this extraordinary celebration:

• Zócalo — The main plaza will host massive altars and installations • Coyoacán — The artistic neighborhood comes alive with altars and processions • Mixquic — For those seeking a deeper experience, this traditional village maintains ancient observances

Tim and Billy will contextualize what you're witnessing — how these traditions connect to the ancient sites we've visited, and what the Maya and Aztec understood about consciousness, death, and the continuation of the soul.

Today — the height of Día de los Muertos — we visit Teotihuacan: the "City Where Men Become Gods."

One of the largest and most influential cities of the ancient world, Teotihuacan was already a thousand years old and mysteriously abandoned when the Aztecs discovered it. They believed it was built by giants or gods — and gave it the name it still carries.

The site's three great pyramids align with Orion's Belt — the same alignment found at Giza in Egypt. Coincidence? Tim and Billy will present their research on the global connections between ancient sites and what this alignment reveals about the knowledge of the builders.

• Pyramid of the Sun — The third-largest pyramid in the world, built over a sacred cave • Pyramid of the Moon — Aligned with Cerro Gordo mountain, embodying the sacred feminine • Temple of Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) — Extraordinary sculptural program depicting the plumed serpent deity • Avenue of the Dead — The 2.5-kilometer ceremonial axis connecting the monuments

To visit Teotihuacan on Día de los Muertos — when ancestors walk among the living — is to experience the site as its builders intended: as a threshold between worlds.

Today we journey to Cholula — home to the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the largest pyramid in the world by volume.

Larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Pyramid of Cholula is hidden in plain sight — appearing as a hill topped by a Spanish colonial church. Beneath the church lies a massive structure built in stages over nearly a thousand years, with over 8 kilometers of tunnels excavated through its interior.

The Spanish built the church atop the pyramid deliberately — a powerful symbol of conquest, but also perhaps an acknowledgment of the site's enduring sacred power.

Tim and Billy will explore:

• The pyramid's construction phases and astronomical alignments • The tunnels and what they reveal about the structure's purpose • The symbolism of the church atop the pyramid — destruction or continuation? • Cholula's role in Mesoamerican spirituality across millennia

Puebla — City of Angels

After Cholula, we visit nearby Puebla — a UNESCO World Heritage city famous for:

• Talavera ceramics — The tile capital of the world • Colonial architecture — One of Mexico's most beautiful historic centers • Mole poblano — The legendary sauce invented by Puebla's nuns

Enjoy lunch, shopping for artisan crafts and ceramics, and exploring this stunning colonial city.

Our final full day in Mexico City is dedicated to integration and personal exploration.

The morning begins with a closing lecture and discussion with Tim and Billy — synthesizing the extraordinary journey we've shared:

• What have we learned about the ancient builders of Mexico? • How do these sites connect to mystery traditions worldwide? • What wisdom can we carry forward into our lives?

The remainder of the day is yours to explore Mexico City's extraordinary offerings:

Optional Experiences:

• National Museum of Anthropology — One of the world's great museums, housing the Aztec Sun Stone and treasures from every Mesoamerican civilization • Templo Mayor — The excavated heart of the Aztec capital, in the city center • Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul) — The blue house where Frida lived and worked • Xochimilco — The "floating gardens" — remnants of the Aztec agricultural system • Chapultepec Castle — The only royal castle in the Americas

Farewell Dinner

This evening, we gather for our final meal together — celebrating the journey, the connections made, and the mysteries revealed.

After breakfast, transfer to Mexico City International Airport for your departure flight.

You leave not merely as a traveler who has visited ancient sites, but as a pilgrim who has walked the sacred paths of the Maya and Aztec, who has honored the dead and celebrated life, who has received teachings from two of the world's foremost guides to humanity's hidden history.

The pyramids stand eternal. The wisdom they encode is now part of you.

¡Buen viaje! Safe travels, and may the feathered serpent guide your way.